http://www.kentucky.com/284/index.xml News, sports, and entertainment from Kentucky.com en-us Copyright 2008 Kentucky.com Jerry Tipton 60 Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:50:42 EDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's Workbench webmaster@kentucky.com http://www.kentucky.com/601/story/225014.html http://www.kentucky.com/601/story/225014.html Thu, 08 Nov 2007 12:43 EST http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/420905.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/420905.html Sun, 01 Jun 2008 01:53 EDT
Joe Crawford was the third-most prolific scorer at last week's NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Orlando.

Ramel Bradley played inconsistently as a point guard.

So what does it mean for the former Kentucky players and their chances of making an NBA roster next season?

We asked NBA consultant Chris Ekstrand . ]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/414875.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/414875.html Sun, 25 May 2008 02:04 EDT
The idea of college presidents living in ivory towers and not understanding the nitty-gritty world of recruiting made Brit Kirwan laugh.

"If that becomes the real world, our nation is in trouble," Kirwan said.

Kirwan is uniquely positioned to understand. As chancellor of the University of Maryland system and co-chairman of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, his professional life demands that he understand the sports world.

Better still, he grew up in Lexington, played sports (football, basketball and track) for Henry Clay High School and went to UK on a football scholarship. His father, A.D. Kirwan, coached UK's football team and later became school president.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/401601.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/401601.html Sun, 11 May 2008 02:07 EDT
So who better to ask about an eighth-grader committing to a college than Bailey?

"It's probably not the right thing because, with these kids, a lot of things can happen in four or five years before they get there," said Bailey, who committed to Indiana as a 10th-grader. "In certain cases, it probably gives false hope."

With early commitments, colleges are in a no-lose situation, Bailey said. If the prospect does not develop, the college withdraws the offer.

"I don't think it's a good thing," Bailey said. "I really don't. But, again, it's part of life now."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/395149.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/395149.html Sun, 04 May 2008 02:03 EDT
"I'm not sure he's a high Division I player," Francis said. "Him committing to Kentucky as an eighth-grader is absolutely ridiculous."

Before we go any further, here are two caveats:

.. No one, including Francis and University of Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie , can say with certainty how good Avery will be in 2012 and beyond.

.. Francis, a courageously opinionated analyst, has a mixed record in his projections. He correctly questioned whether in-state high school celebrity J.P. Blevins would make a major impact as a Kentucky player. But (and this is a Shaquille O'Neal -sized but) he also called the overhyped Chris Burgess a combination of Larry Bird and Bill Walton .]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/388258.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/388258.html Sun, 27 Apr 2008 08:51 EDT
"This is a big one," Pearl told the Knoxville News Sentinel after Hopson signed. "It breaks a door down for me, my first McDonald's All-American, a guy with a lot of visibility."

Of course, Pearl has done wonders without the benefit of a marquee recruit. He's elevated UT from a basketball backwater into a top 25 program. Hopson could be for Tennessee what Mike Miller was for Billy Donovan and Florida in the late 1990s: a prospect who signals a new national contender.

Hopson, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard for University Heights, joins 6-11 center Philip Jurick , 6-1 point guard Daniel West and 6-8 wing Renaldo Woolridge . The latter is the son of former Notre Dame and NBA player Orlando Woolridge .

Rivals.com rated Hopson at No. 5 in the Class of 2008. Woolridge is No. 53 and Jurick is No. 68.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/381624.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/381624.html Sun, 20 Apr 2008 02:05 EDT
That's what Oklahoma State did after firing Sean Sutton as coach. The Cowboys' athletic director, Mike Holder , knew he wanted to hire Bill Self of Kansas. Yet he still called Newton for advice.

"How'd you hire Rick Pitino ?" Holder asked in reference to Newton's 1989 coup in hiring Pitino away from the New York Knicks.

Newton thought Oklahoma State had a chance to hire Self. OSU was Self's alma mater. The school could rightly say it not only wanted him to return home, but needed him to return home.

When Self decided to stay at Kansas, Holder called Newton for advice on what coach to approach. Newton pondered what coach could enjoy small-town life in Stillwater, Okla. What coach had proven ability to rebuild programs. And when Holder said he wanted to hire a young coach who could relate to players, Newton recommended Travis Ford .]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/374955.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/374955.html Sun, 13 Apr 2008 02:06 EDT
There had been talk for months about Oklahoma State firing Sean Sutton . Backed by deep-pocketed oilman T. Boone Pickens , OSU could flash enough cash to command any coach's attention. If Gillispie did not like life in Lexington (for instance, he can seem uncomfortable with the job's high visibility), maybe he'd leave for a job that did not include the trappings of celebrity and self-styled empire maintenance.

A quiet check with people in Oklahoma, Texas and Kentucky revealed ... next to nothing.

Gillispie's interest in Oklahoma State and Oklahoma State's interest in Gillispie was unclear, at best. The two DUI arrests in Gillispie's past had to be a concern for Oklahoma State, which had to deal with Eddie Sutton 's well-documented alcohol problems.

Then on Friday, the coach at the College of Southern Idaho, Barret Peery , said UK assistant Jeremy Cox told him not to believe the speculation. Gillispie would remain Kentucky's coach, and two Southern Idaho prospects, Kevin Galloway and Juan Pattillo , should make recruiting visits to UK this weekend.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/368115.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/368115.html Sun, 06 Apr 2008 02:07 EDT
After last week's heartfelt farewell to Keightley, UK officials will ponder that question. A black patch on a shoulder strap of the jersey? Simple, classy and traditional.

Leaving his chair near the UK coach empty? Moving, but what if in the heat of a game a player -- gasp -- happened to sit in the chair.

Ideas from readers suggested enthusiasm for a much grander gesture. The ideas included:

.. Adolph-sized adulation. "I hope that someday we can all enjoy watching UK basketball games in a modern arena named Keightley Arena," reader Phil Roberts of Frankfort wrote in an e-mail message. "The Rupp name will always be connected with winning basketball at UK, but what other name has been so closely connected to the UK basketball program longer than Keightley ... and for more wins than Coach ( Adolph ) Rupp ? None that come to mind have more attachment to the UK program for so long of a period than Bill 'Mr. Wildcat' Keightley."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/361291.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/361291.html Sun, 30 Mar 2008 02:04 EDT
Ramel Bradley filled that void in Kentucky's just-completed basketball season by writing down thoughts. The fruit of that labor will be his debut hip-hop CD, which is scheduled for release on April 15.

"My perspective on love and my city and how people just struggle," Bradley said last week about the CD. "Things I go through, my emotions, I just release them through songs. So you get my point of view on life.

"I think I have some pretty good things to say," Bradley added with his trademark smile.

Bradley, one of the more outgoing, irrepressible UK players of the last 25 years, never seemed to have much trouble expressing himself. But he said he suppressed some feelings for the sake of the team and program.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/348309.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/348309.html Sun, 16 Mar 2008 02:02 EDT
The Tigers (14-16) pondered how to answer should a call come from the new College Basketball Invitational. The CBI will compete with the NCAA-sponsored National Invitation Tournament for leftovers after the NCAA Tournament makes its picks.

Lebo noted a possible quandary: Play on the road at, say, South Alabama in the NIT? Or play a home game in the CBI? And then there's SEC icon C.M. Newton , who heads the NIT.

When asked if Auburn would agree to play in the CBI, Lebo said, "Would we? Yes, we'd go. Why wouldn't we?"

The CBI format is 16 teams with an interesting twist: the finals are a best two of three.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/341617.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/341617.html Sun, 09 Mar 2008 03:03 EDT
Bradley knew who would walk through the door and had his defensive shields in place.

"Being a McDonald's All-American, he might be a little cocky ... ," Bradley recalled. "I just had that attitude, coming from New York, I felt, I don't care what you are, who you are or where you come from. I'm from New York."

The first impression Bradley made? "Just live," Crawford said. "It would be difficult for me, but that's what he feeds off. All the time. He's a live dude."

From that potentially rocky soil quickly grew a friendship of disparate personalities but kindred spirits. The alien world of Kentucky helped bond the big-city guys. Like a marriage of attracting opposites, Bradley and Crawford complemented each another. Each supported the other as roommates as freshmen and seniors, as soul mates through all four years.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/334783.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/334783.html Sun, 02 Mar 2008 02:13 EST
Ronald P. Grelsamer , Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical School, used the analogy of two circles. One circle represents pain. One circle represents injury.

"If they are two separate, distinct circles, yeah, it'd be easy," Grelsamer said. "There's nothing wrong with playing with pain if you don't have an injury.

"The problem is these circles are overlapping. So how do you know when pain is just the result of a little nagging overuse? And how do you know when it reflects an injury?"

The short answer is you don't know. As Gillispie noted more than once at Friday's news conference, he was grateful that trainer Eric Fry took the initiative to order an X-ray of Patterson's sore left ankle.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/327340.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/327340.html Sun, 24 Feb 2008 02:07 EST
But last week's reports about the messy departures of walk-on Dusty Mills and heralded freshman Alex Legion this season prompted a question: What style do other coaches use?

So why not start at the top with UCLA's John Wooden , who won more national championships than any coach.

One of his players, Larry Farmer , described Wooden as demanding, strict, capable of anger and hard to please.

"I never felt when he was giving me the worst that he was attacking my person," said Farmer, now an assistant coach at Hawaii. "I felt I wasn't going to play (laughs). You might never get back in a game. But you never felt like you were a member of al-Qaida or anything."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/320823.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/320823.html Sun, 17 Feb 2008 02:03 EST
True enough (Georgia went 11-5 in 2003, but declared itself ineligible).

But there have been plenty of teams to win 10 or more conference games and not receive a bid. Jerry Palm , the man who runs Collegerpi.com (the Web site used by the SEC), cited several such teams since 1993: 2007 Syracuse 10-6, Kansas State 10-6; 2006 Stanford 11-7; 2005 Indiana 10-6; 2004 Colorado 10-6; 2003 Seton Hall 10-6, Boston College 10-6; 2000 Arizona State 10-8; 1999 Nebraska 10-6; 1997 West Virginia 11-7, Pittsburgh 10-8, Washington 10-8; 1996 Minnesota 10-8; 1995 Washington State 10-8 and 1994 Villanova 10-8, Stanford 10-8 and Arizona State 10-8.

"So, while it hasn't happened in the SEC yet, it happens pretty much every year," Palm wrote in an e-mail. "It's just a matter of time before an SEC team fits the bill, and UK would certainly be a good candidate."

The 93-52 loss at Vanderbilt on Tuesday sounded the death knell for Kentucky's chances of receiving an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Now UK must win the SEC Tournament to get in.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/314028.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/314028.html Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:00 EST
Eleven days later, Georgia's Dave Bliss trails the play, but prevents a breakaway layup by sending UK's Ramel Bradley flying. A foul, but not intentional.

Huh?

Perpetually concerned UK fans wonder how similar plays can be called two ways.

Boudreaux, who attended UK's game against Alabama, watched replays and saw Bliss swiping at the ball from the left side of Bradley. Thus, no intentional foul. Fans can debate the merit of that view.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/306635.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/306635.html Sun, 03 Feb 2008 02:04 EST
IUPUI Coach Ron Hunter not only says that. He'll back up his words with action.

Hunter plans to skip the July recruiting period this year in order to travel to Africa on a mission. He and his team will deliver shoes to poor children.

"I think it's more important for me to do that, to give a child some hope than worry about recruiting in July," he said in a telephone interview.

Hunter asked his assistant coaches to go on the trip to Kenya, Cameroon and Nigeria rather than stay behind to recruit.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/299050.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/299050.html Sun, 27 Jan 2008 02:05 EST
The referees were correct to ignore the collision between Florida's Nick Calathes and UK's Ramel Bradley last weekend.

Shot blocking can be difficult to judge, but some contact is permissible. So perhaps UK fans and talk show hosts misplaced their bellyaching about Mississippi State center Jarvis Varnado 's 10 blocks against the Cats.

Trained as a referee, Southeastern Conference coordinator of men's officials Gerald Boudreaux calls 'em as he sees 'em. And that's how he saw the recent calls that inflamed the always highly inflammable UK fans.

Let's take those calls one at a time.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/292170.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/292170.html Sun, 20 Jan 2008 07:20 EST
Huh?

It quickly became clear why UK Coach Billy Gillispie called on Stewart. The freshman went directly to Mississippi State center Jarvis Varnado and got in a defensive stance. Then Stewart began bumping Varnado seemingly in hopes of being called for a foul.

Oh, OK. Varnado, who was on his way to a triple-double, had missed all four of his previous free throws. UK wanted him at the foul line in hopes of more missed free throws to further fuel a late rally.

Twice the referees called off-the-ball fouls involving Varnado -- once on Stewart and later on Patrick Patterson, who mimicked the same bump-bump-bump defense. Varnado foiled the strategy by making four of six attempts in the final 3:08.]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/284967.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/284967.html Sun, 13 Jan 2008 02:05 EST
"I am just keeping Dick's seat warm until he gets back," Bilas said in an e-mail message. "He's the PTPer, and I'm just the guy coming in off the bench until he's ready. Our thoughts and hearts are with Dick as he gets healthy. He's an all-time great, as a person and a broadcaster.

"As for me, I approach and prepare for every game the same way, so there is no real adjustment for me. I'd prefer the focus to be on Dick."

Play-by-play man Dan Shulman works with Vitale regularly. He's noticed the difference.

"It's a wild ride working with Dick," Shulman said. "There's never a dull moment."]]> http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/434003.html http://www.kentucky.com/284/story/434003.html Sun, 15 Jun 2008 08:25 EDT
The current discussion about recruiting ever-younger prospects will lead to voluntary restrictions, and, if necessary, legislation limiting when coaches can offer scholarships.

That's the opinion of Reggie Minton , the associate executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

Publicity about Kentucky getting a commitment from eighth-grader Michael Avery this spring sparked a debate about recruiting young prospects. UK is not alone in pursuing players who have yet to attend high school.

NCAA President Myles Brand called such recruitments .untoward. and Brit Kirwan , the president of the University of Maryland, said he found it .appalling.. ]]>